Cognitive Research

A new study shows that we like people more if we imagine positive encounters with them more

Our brain only needs a fraction of all identity features to recognize a face. more

The heart could have a strong influence on thinking and feeling more

This part of the brain plays a crucial role in the development of mental empathy in early childhood more

A new study by researchers at the Ernst Strüngmann Institute in Frankfurt suggests that cognitive states such as motivation and focus can be identified from facial expressions, even across species more

Neuroimaging study on the processing of pain signals in the brain more

Chimpanzees may use social learning to acquire new skills more

Great apes playfully tease each other more

Whether we spontaneously put ourselves in someone else's shoes is a question of effort more

Individual voice could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say more

What people find beautiful is highly individual. Aenne Brielmann and her team at the Max Planck Institute of Biological Cybernetics want to know how the perception of beauty comes about and what effect environmental design has on our well-being.  more

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2022 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

The brain activity of jazz pianists differs from those of classical pianists, even when playing the same piece of music. more

Even chimpanzees and six-year-old infants want to punish antisocial behaviour more

At the age of six months, babies develop a sense of statistics more

Babies as old as only a few months are able to identify objects as 'spiders' or 'snakes' and respond to them more

Tania Singer, director at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognition and Brain Sciences, talks about mental empathy exercises, our inner judge and prospects for peaceful coexistence more

Adults too can acquire social skills such as empathy and compassion more

High-resolution imaging provides new insights into the development of the human brain more

Chimpanzees and orangutans look for information to fill gaps in their knowledge more